Piracy in Deep Space
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Galaxy at War "Piracy in Deep Space" is a mini-adventure designed for 10th-level heroes. In this scenario, the characters must assault and recapture a Corellian Action VI Transport that has been commandeered by pirates of the Black Sun criminal syndicate. The ship contains vital medical supplies that must be delivered to a planet in need. Adventure Background During the years of The Galactic Republic, soldiers spent a tremendous amount of time fighting pirate armies and criminal organizations whose size rivaled that of many legitimate governments. In The Outer Rim, where the Republic has less influence, pirates proved a constant threat, hijacking Starships and stealing vital supplies bound for planets in need. Although the Republic did its best to prevent such attacks, their limited resources meant that as many as one in twenty ships fell victim to pirates. In one such case, The Azure Queen, an aging Corellian Action VI Transport loaded with bacta and medical supplies worth at least 500,000 credits, was bound for the planet Rutan. After receiving a deceptive distress call from what it thought was a Republic ambassador, the ship diverted from its course and succumbed to attacks by Black Sun pirates on the edge of an asteroid field. The captain of The Azure Queen managed to send out a call for help before the pirates jammed the ship's Hypertransceiver. During the attack, the pirates' freighter landed a critical hit that took The Azure Queen's Hyperdrive offline, leaving the ship stranded dangerously close to the asteroid field. The pirates sent a boarding party to seize the transport and repair the Hyperdrive. Adventure Outline The heroes are the only Republic troops within range of The Azure Queen. They are currently in command of a Citadel-Class Cruiser, which has superior firepower to the pirates' Corellian YU-410 Light Freighter, The Cutting Strike. Upon arriving at the coordinates of the distress call, the heroes must fight off the pirates' ship, then dock with the drifting Azure Queen. After capturing the ship's docking bay, the heroes must make their way to the bridge to take out the pirates before they complete their repairs of the Hyperdrive and escape to Black Sun territory (With the heroes still on board). The Citadel-Class Cruiser that the heroes are piloting has the capacity to carry two Starfighters, but the docking bays are currently empty because the ships were called away for other duties. Locating The Azure Queen Main Article: Locating the Azure Queen The last transmission that The Azure Queen sent out gave its coordinates. However, pinpointing its exact position is difficult because of damage to the ship and interference from The Cutting Strike and from the unusually high metal ore content of the nearby asteroid field. Once the heroes arrive at the given coordinates, they must make a DC 20 Use Computer check to detect the stranded transport's signature among the asteroids. Once they do, they can speed toward the ship, but as they do so, they are intercepted by the pirates. Boarding The Azure Queen (CL 6) Main Article: Boarding The Azure Queen After The Cutting Strike is destroyed, disabled, or jumps into Hyperspace, the heroes can attempt to board The Azure Queen. However, as they approach the transport, Captain Greeku opens a channel to discuss terms. Retaking The Azure Queen (CL 11) Main Article: Retaking The Azure Queen SETUP: This encounter serves as the climax of "No Man Left Behind." When the pirates boarded The Azure Queen, they expected little resistance and brought only a handful of personnel with them. Now that the heroes have boarded, the pirates fear that they will be outnumbered or outgunned, so they gather the hostages and make a stand in the bridge. They have cut the power in most of the ship and locked doors in hopes of slowing down the heroes long enough for their KDY-4 Tech Droid to finish repairing the Hyperdrive, allowing them to take the transport to safe territory. Conclusion If the heroes fail to secure the bridge or destroy the KDY-4 Tech Droid within 10 rounds, the Droid completes repairs, and The Azure Queen jumps into Hyperspace, brining the heroes and their ship along for the ride. The jump takes them into orbit around Nar Shaddaa, where three stolen Corellian Corvettes await the arrival of the captured transport. If the heroes manage to return to their ship and leave The Azure Queen, they can try to fight the Corvettes, but they are clearly outmatched. If the heroes defeat the pirates before the transport jumps into Hyperspace, they recieve Experience Points for a CL 10 challenge. If the captain of The Azure Queen survives the encounter, he awards the heroes by paying them 1,000 credits for each crew member (If any) who survived the hijacking.